Friday, May 4, 2012

Some moments with the Loafers

"Loafers", by Francis Upritchard, is a brand new art installation on Symonds Street's overbridge with Wellesley Street. You can read more about it here and here.

(And, by Blogger's reckoning, this is post 1500 since Timespanner began in September 2008. Cheers to all the readers, contributors and commenters over the years. Couldn't have got this far without you.)

Street art certainly enhances a public space and the city council should be congratulated for funding it. I love the concept behind this work, but the figures are, however, a bit unattractive in my opinion. The snakes are an incongruous touch in a country that has no snakes.

Actually, I think it's a combined project with the University of Auckland. Haven't found any specific budget information so far showing that the Council funded the artwork. If you do locate that, let me know.

What they remind me of are figures modelled from plasticine. Particularly the snakes -- I used to make snakes like that when I was a kiddy. Wouldn't surprise me if that was how the artist did it -- then made molds for the bronze. I got the impression that this was a child's view of things.

Don't know how long the figures will last, once the bronze and copper thieves cotton on to their existence, though.

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